Article supporting hanger



Dec. 8, 1964 A. T. HOVEY ARTICLE SUPPORTING HANGER 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1962 INVENTOR. ALICE T. HOVEY BYMAHONEY, MlLLER a RAMBO %%V% ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1964 v .A. T. HOVEY 3,160,279

ARTICLE SUPPORTING HANGER Filed Nov. "6, 1962 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALICE T. HOVEY BYMAHONEY, MILLER aRAMBo WWJ M ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice Bddhiid Patented Dec. 8, 1964 3,169,279 AlEEltILE SUPFGRTENG HANGER Alice "l1 llovey, 35% 'lillhury Ave, Qolumhus, Ghio Filed Nov. 6, 1962, Scr. No. 235,635 4 Qlaims. (El. 2ll8t$) This invention relates generally to an article supporting hanger and, more specifically, to a novel hanger for supporting one or more ladies purses of the type provided with looped carrying straps.

It is the general practice to store womens purses, in a home, either on a shelf or in a drawer. For purses of the type provided with looped carrying straps, a large amount of shelf or drawer space will be utilized which is often needed for the storage of other articles or garments that are not adapted to be stored on hangers. In addition, the purses which are usually fabricated from a material that is susceptible to injury, are frequently damaged through handling as the exposed metal parts will readily mar the surface finish of an adjacent purse or may even cut or puncture the material. Shelf storage presents an additional hazard since this type of purse is often not designed to sit on a surface and may readily fall from the shelf or support with the slightest in or jostling. Drawer storage is inconvenient as the purses are often packed tightly to conserve space necessitating considerable sorting and movement to select and extricate the desired purse.

it is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a hanger having a carriage from which one or more ladies purses of the strap type may be suspended that is readily attached to a supporting structure such as'a closet rod.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hanger for supporting one or more ladies purses of the strap type therefrom that is readily attachable to a supporting structure and slidable relative thereto between a retracted storing position and an extended display position.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a hanger for supporting one or more ladies purses of the strap type in a closet in a relatively spaced relationship and which is removably attachable to an existing supporting structure.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hanger embodying the invention attached to a closet rod.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the hanger on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a hanger provided with a modified attaching means for attachment to a wall.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional View of the modified hanger of FIGURE 4 taken on a vertically disposed plane passing through a giude.

Having reference to the drawings, particularly FIG- URES l and 2, a hanger embodying the invention is illus trated attached to a supporting structure it) such as the well known closet rod. The closet rod ll) may be attached by suitable fastening devices (not shown) to opposed end walls of a closet ll indicated generally by broken lines in FIGURE 1. Such a closet as is usually utilized for the storage of garments may be provided with an opening in one wall disposed parallel to the closet rod for access to the garments.

The hanger includes a carriage 12 which is suspended from the closet rod it by an attaching means 13. in general, the attaching means 13 comprises a guide 14 for slidably engaging the carriage l2 and a clamping device secured thereto for releasably engaging the closet rod Iii and permitting removal of the hanger. As in the present embodiment, the clamping device may be a collar 15 of the split type fabricated from an elongated strip of material, preferably a metal such as steel or aluminum, which is only semi-rigid when formed in relatively thin sheets. The collar may be secured to the guide 14, for example, by welding. The portions of the collar 15 at eachside of the weld. form a substantially cylindrical tubular section for encircling the closet rod 10. Each marginal end of the collar strip is turned outwardly forming opposed, spaced parallel flanges 16 for receiving a fastening device 17. In this instance, the fastening device comprises a bolt extending through apertures formed in the flanges 16 and a nut threaded thereon. Threading the nut on the bolt will pull the flanges 16 together to draw the collar 15 tightly about the closet rod 10. Preferably, a web 18 fabricated from a material having a friction-creating surface is disposed between the collar 15 and the closet rod ltl. Drawing the collar 15 tightly about the web 18 will increase the frictional forces to prevent rotation of the hanger about the closet rod. The attaching means illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 is specifically designed for utilization with the common cylindrical closet rod on which the well known wire type garment hangers may be suspended.

The carriage 12 is mounted for sliding movement in the guide 14 transversely of the closet rod 10 and includes two spaced parallel shafts, termed herein as the first and second shafts, 2d and 21, respectively. The shafts are fabricated from an elongated rigid rod with the adjacent ends of the shafts being interconnected to form a rigid unitary structure. If desired, the shafts may be formed from a single rod which is bent into a closed loop of the desired form with the ends welded together at W as in the present embodiment. The first shaft 29 is slidably disposed in a shaft receiving bore 19 formed in the guide 14 for movement between a retracted position with the carriage l2 suspended at substantially the midpoint, indicated by the full lines in FIGURES 1 and 2, and an extended position indicated by the broken lines. When fully extended, one looped end of the carriage 12 will be adjacent the guide 14. The length of the carriage is determined and limited by the depth of the closet 11 in which the hanger is installed. The length of the guide 14 must therefore be less than the carriage to allow the desired sliding movement. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide 14 is fabricated from a relatively short cylindrical shaft having an axially extending shaft receiving bore 1? which is of circular cross section as is the first shaft 29. For the normal installation, as in a closet, the guide it is welded at W to the collar 15 for positioning the carriage transversely of the closet rod it}. Thus, by clamping the collar 15 onto the closet rod 10 at the opening or door of the closet 11, the carriage 12 may be pulled through the closet opening to an extended position with'a portion of the carriage disposed exteriorly of the.

closet.

Mounted on the second shaft 21 are a plurality of artiole-engaging hooks 2-2 which are capable of suspending a ladies purse P of the type having a looped carrying strap S. Each hook 22 is fabricated from an elongated, rigid bar, preferably a metal such as steel or aluminum, having a rectangular cross section. A loop 23 is formed at one end of the bar for substantially encircling the shaft 21, and slidably mounting the hook thereon. Formed at the opposite, end and connected to the loop 23 by an intermediate portion of the bar is a hook member 24 disposed substantially parallel to the shaft 21 but spaced a distance therefrom. The intermediate portion of the bar is twisted to align the hook member 24 with the shaft when the loop 23 is closed around the shaft. Fastened to the hook memher 265 is an elongated, curved plate 25 to provide a rela- .ively large, rigid bearing surface for the purse straps S. lhe plate 25 is of a width substantially equal to length )f the hook member 24 and is disposed transversely of the :ariage to support the purses transversely of the carriage l2. The length and curvature of the plate 25 is such hat, with the ends of the plate extending downwardly, he purse strap S will not be subjected to extreme stress f a sharp bend. If desired, to further reduce the posiibility of damage to the purse straps, the plate 25 may.

9e molded from a suitable thermosetting plastic material )I fabricated from a metal having a thermosetting plastic ilrn bonded to the surface thereof. To prevent the purse :traps S from sliding oil the plate 25', the terminal end :ortion of the hook member 24 may be bent to form a ip 26 projecting a distance above the plate.

The hanger is readily attached to an existing supportng structure such as a closet rod 10 by merely spreading he flanges 16 of the collar 15 apart to permit passage of he rod therebetween. Inserting the bolt type fastening levice in the flanges 16 of the collar and turning the nut )nto'the bolt draws the collar 15 tightly about the closet 'od to secure the hanger in the proper position. The guide [4 will be disposed beneath the closet rod and the cariage 12 will be suspended therefrom. Pulling the car- "iage 12 outwardly from the closet Ill to its fully extended sosition will permit one or more of the purses P to be :uspended from the article-engaging hooks 22 by means If the straps S thereof being looped over the plate 25 md hook member 24 assemblies. Although the carriage [2 will be producing a moment arm about the closet rod when thus extended, particularly when one or more aurses are suspended therefrom, the hanger will not rotate [bout the closet rod due to the clamping force of the :ollar 1.5 which is sufficient to counteract this moment trm. With the hooks 22 slidably mounted on the lower )r second shaft 21 by the loops 23 formed therewith, the iurses may be spaced on the carriage to minimize the )ossibility of contact between any two purses. With the urses thus suspended from the carriage 12, the carriage ieing in the extended position, each purse will be visible 0 facilitate selection and removal. For storage, the car- 'iage is merely pushed inwardly to its retracted position 0 permit closing of the closet opening. The purses will hen be safely suspended by their straps as they are lesigned to be suspended and thereby eliminate damage hat occurs when stored in a drawer or on a shelf as well is saving drawer or shelf space for articles which cannot e stored on hangers.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, the hanger is provided with a nodified attaching means 13a which is specifically adapted or a wall type installation. The carriage 12 and hooks 22 are constructed the same as previously described and dentical numerals are utilized to identify the several comonents thereof. The attaching means 13a comprises an ilongated beam 27 secured to a mounting plate 28 with L carriage guide 14a fastened to the beam. In this modiication, the beam is semicircular in cross section which mounted with the marginal edge extending downwardly. )ne end of the beam 27 is provided with a cylindrical :xtension 29 While the opposite end remains open. The guide 14a is divided into two sections which are attached, or example, by welding at W to the interior surface )f the beam 27 in longitudinally spaced relationship. One ection of the guide 14a is disposed adjacent the open end if the beam 27 with the other section disposed a distance nwardly therefrom. Preferably, the beam is of a length 0 completely receive the carriage in a retracted position hus providing protection to the carriage. When the cariage 12 is pulled to a fully extended or display position, he end section of the guide will support the carriage at ubstantially the midpoint. By appropriately spacing the nterior section of the guide 14a, the carriage 12 will also e supported at the midpoint when in a retracted position, educing stresses that may occur in the carriage through oading.

Connection of the beam 27 to the mounting plate 23 is obtained by forming cooperative screw threads on the marginal end of the extension 29 and in an aperture formed in the plate to receive the threaded end of the extension. The plate 28 is secured to a vertical wall 11a by any suitable fastening means, for example, a plurality of screws 31 According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims,

' the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is: 1. An article supporting hanger comprising an attaching means for engaging a supporting structure and including a collar for receiving said supporting structure, and an elongated guide formed with an axially extending shaft receiving bore rigidly secured to said collar, said collar having means for frictionally engaging said supporting structure and preventing movement of said collar relative to said supporting structure, to suspend said guide in a substantially horizontal plane beneath said supporting structure, a carriage having a first shaft disposed in the bore of said guide for sliding movement relative thereto and a second shaft connected to said first shaft in spaced parallel relationship, said carriage being movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said guide, and at least one article engaging hook mounted on said second shaft for longitudinal movement relative thereto, said hook having a loop formed at one end thereof for slidably engaging said second shaft and a hook member formed at the opposite end thereof and disposed in spaced parallel relationship to said second shaft, said hook member having a rigid, elongated plate attached thereto formed with a curved upper surface for engaging a looped supporting strap of the article, said plate being disposed transversely to the direction of movement of said carriage with the ends thereof being divergent and extending downwardly.

2. An article supporting hanger comprising an attaching means for engaging a supporting structure and including an elongated beam, a plate connected to one end of said beam and having means for engaging a substantially vertically disposed surface of a supporting structure to maintain said beam in a substantially horizontally disposed position, and a guide formed with an axiall extending shaft receiving bore secured to said beam, a carriage having a first shaft slidably disposed in said bore and a second shaft supported in spaced relationship to said first shaft, said carriage being movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said guide, and at least one article-engaging hook mounted on said second shaft.

3. An article supporting hanger according to claim 2 wherein said guide comprises at least two tubular members fastened to said beam in longitudinally spaced relationship whereby said carriage will be supported at substantially the midpoint thereof when in either the retracted position or the extended position.

4. An article-supporting hanger comprising an attaching means for engaging a supporting structure and including an elongated guide having an axially-extending shaftreceiving bore, a carriage supported by said guide for movement relative thereto, said carriage having a first elongated shaft slidably disposed in the bore of said guide and a second elongated shaft disposed in relatively spaced relationship to said first shaft with said shafts being interconnected at the ends thereof and being of a length substantially greater than said guide to permit axial sliding movement of said carriage relative to said guide, and a plurality of article-engaging hooks mounted on said second shaft, each of said article engaging hooks including a portion depending from said second shaft and an elongated,

rigid plate disposed transversely to said second shaft for engaging an article to be supported thereon, said plate being arcuately curved with the 'ends thereof extending downwardly thereby providing a surface for engaging an article.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,015,918 1/12 Walters 21194 6 Gillespie 248230 X Launder 211-162 Jones 211162X Ikelheimer 21 1-87 Arbib 21 187 Spitzig 211-96 X Smith 211-32 Abel 21194 1,282,216 10/18 Goldberg 211 94 X 10 CLA DE A. LB R Y, Prim y Ex min 

2. AN ARTICLE SUPPORTING HANGER COMPRISING AN ATTACHING MEANS FOR ENGAGING A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING AN ELONGATED BEAM, A PLATE CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID BEAM AND HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED SURFACE OF A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE TO MAINTAIN SAID BEAM IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED POSITION, AND A GUIDE FORMED WITH AN AXIALLY EXTENDING SHAFT RECEIVING BORE SECURED TO SAID BEAM, A CARRIAGE HAVING A FIRST SHAFT SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN SAID BORE AND A SECOND SHAFT SUPPORTED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FIRST SHAFT, SAID CARRIAGE BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION AND AN EXTENDED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID GUIDE, AND AT LEAST ONE ARTICLE-ENGAGING HOOK MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND SHAFT. 